When a cute little alien named ZED demonstrates his invention to the Hierarchy of the Galaxy, something goes wrong—terribly wrong! Before long, ZED's universe is thrown into complete turmoil and our little hero must face nearly insurmountable odds trying to survive and save the very fate of his home world.

Imbued with a dark edge, peppered with pure silliness, and wrapped up in a childlike sense of wonder, ZED's adventures will keep readers tickled and captivated from start to finish.

Originally published in comic book form over a period of eleven years, ZED has been completely revised and remastered for this definitive edition.

"It’s a real balancing act to keep slipping the very adult themes in and letting the world view stay consistent, but Gagne is true to his vision. This is may be the most gentle comic about wiping out civilizations you ever read and the cognitive dissonance that sets in as your brain lines up the subject matter and the representation is half the fun of it." Read full review.- The Beat

"Those familiar with Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet will have been exposed to Michel Gagne’s work previously. His art style is clean, with soft shading and uniquely inventive worlds. The dialogue for the most part is snappy and well paced with nothing extraneous in the mix to bog it down. Panels are cleanly set, dialogue is well inked offering an easy read that taxes the readers sensibilities rather than have them struggle with cluttered layouts. The art is one of the most compelling factors to this series – it’s surreal at times but just so well made! Zed: A Cosmic Tale manages to do so much with it 280 pages. The book shifts from cutesy, to touching, to menacing, to horrific scenes of extermination with such beautiful and effortless ease" Read full review. - Game Fiends

"ZED has that perfect mix of innocence and brutality that makes it feel substantial enough for kids and adults to fall in love with. This is how classics are made." Read full review.
- The Daily Planet

"The action, suspense, and larger questions about the nature of life are very well done particularly when paired with the reworked art. I highly recommend ZED to anyone that likes their science fiction with tongue in cheek humor and action." Read full review.- Sharon the Lirairian

"This adorable sci-fi comic book wades into some pretty dark and menacing territory. And, that seems to be the most important detail of this comic. It is never just one thing. The most striking thing in Michel Gagné's Zed: A Cosmic Tale is the art. It is surreal, complex, and gorgeous. The art style, much like the book as a whole, bounces back and forth between cute and sinister. What is so impressive is not how effectively Gagné summons cuteness or menace (incredibly effectively), but how quickly he can shift from one to the other." Read full review.
- Fanboy Comics

"Definitely give Zed a read, and thank me later. Just don't pass it on to the kids until they're a little older and can handle getting their tiny souls scarred for life a little better. It really is an uplifting and beautiful story when all is said and done." Read full reviews.
- Shut up and read something.

"ZED: A Cosmic Tale is a fun science fiction story that combines adorable characters with heavy, depressing subject matter but in a feel good, entertaining way. And lets be honest, he’s just too cute to pass up!" Read full review.- Black Ink Books

"The whole story is full of dark humor. The things that happen are a bit too epic and a bit too out there, this ends up lending the story a darkly humorous edge. I really really enjoyed it. It’s quirky, goofy, and totally off the wall. It is delivered in a way that is high quality and top notch."Read full review.
- Karissa's Reading Review

And then, there's this one review which rates the book 0 out of 5!

"There is blood, gore, violence, treachery, and so much anguish that reading this would probably put a kid into therapy." Read full review.
- The Armchair Librairian

The Original Series Published from 2001 to 2012

Before ZED: A Cosmic Tale became a book, the whole story was first laid out in comic book form over a period of eleven years. The comics are quite a bit different from the book and showcase an evolution in the art style. If you want to see how ZED came about, make sure you check them out!

Reviews of the original ZED Series

"So
Sad, so cute, so macabre."-- Rebecca Salek,
Sequential Tart

"...it's
a title I wholeheartedly recommend for those who enjoy the
fantastic potential of childlike imagination with a pleasant
adult spin"-- Ray Sidman, Comics
Buyer Guide

"Gagne
is a ruthless writer, gently building a house of cards for
the reader and intentionally swiping at it to excite our empathy
and excitement."-- A Comic A Day...

"That
unsettling shift back and forth from innocence and darker
elements means this isn't the all-ages book it appears
to be on the surface, but it does make for a weirdly mature
and fascinating read."-- Don
MacPherson, The Fourth Rail

"ZED
is a book to keep an eye on. It's a lot of fun to read, with
a visual feast for the eyes."--
Augie De Blieck Jr., CBR

"You
will love this new series, ZED is
deliciously twisted, funny, epic and endearing at the same
"--
Mick Martin, Comic Book Galaxy

"There's
something incredibly appealing about ZED;
his plight is troubling, his inherent goodness is moving, his
suffering is poignant. Most of all his story is compelling;
once you've given ZED a
"-- Cliff Biggers,
CSN

After posting
the cover of ZED #8 on line, I was contacted
by animator, Dean
Dodrill, asking if it would be OK for him
to do a little animation clip inspired by the cover. A
couple of months later, I got this wonderful little film. Click
here for more.

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